Welcome to my world

I live in London with my two crazy cats, Phil and Grant. This is my online training journal as I will be running the British London 10km in July, and I hope you enjoy your visit!

• Been a bit busy

  Posted on May 1st, 2009 John 2 comments

  So, the new job’s started. A bit of a gentle introduction to the job (well if you count 30 things on your to-do list within 30 minutes of starting quiet!) I get to go jetsetting around the world still … unfortunately nowhere as exotic as Spain anymore. Chesterfield next week (which suits me for visiting the family) and sunny Solihull the week after that. But on the whole I’m enjoying it - it’s a different job entirely and it’s very weird not to be thinking about Helpdesk tickets, moaning customers and service levels.

  And seeing as this is supposed to be my training blog, here’s a training update. I did some gym sessions this week, which went well. My foot seems to be back to normal now so that’s all good too.

  P.S. Have you checked out Walford Web’s new feature - the cast wiki? I’m frantically importing character bios into it, and are up to the surname beginning with V so far. With a bit of luck everything will be imported by Monday. Click here to have a sneak peek!

  Training, Work EastEnders, Gym, Walford Web, Work

• Hit the gym

  Posted on April 14th, 2009 John 1 comment

  So, finally, after what seems like weeks and weeks I finally hit the gym today (and had to do that as I’d got a session with Keli, the personal trainer sent up from hell).

  It was the first time running since hurting my foot, and at the time all felt fine. I’m sitting here this evening with aching feet but I’m not sure if that was because of all the exercise. We’ll see how it feels in the morning, and whether I can still walk.

  So … I also learned six new exercises to do, most of which consisted of me looking like a beached whale next to Keli, who looked completely composed throughout all of it. My favourite classy maneouvre had to be squatting down like I was on the toilet while doing bicep curls. Hmmm, what fun.

  Next up will be a gentle run outside tomorrow or Thursday to see if that’s still doable. It’d chuffing well better be …

  And tomorrow’s the day I tell the team at work about “you know what”. Can’t wait for the reaction to that!

  Training Gym

• Hola from Spain!

  Posted on March 31st, 2009 John No comments

  So, here’s my first blog from Spain.

  It’s beautiful here in Asturias (which is the northern part of the Spain, and weather-wise very much like the Lake District in the UK), so it’s not too hot and prone to being rainy every now and again.

  The people we work with in Spain are fantastic and always very helpful - they took us out last night for a wonderful dinner of tapas, cider and cider sangria (of all things). So going to bed last night at 1am and back up at 7am does not make for a very rested me.

  And now the bad news. My foot, which I thought had got better suddenly started playing up again on Sunday (which was probably because of too much walking around Stansted Airport before the flight). It’s still hurting a little bit, so if it’s not sorted by the time I get back from Spain, it’ll be a trip to the doctors to see what’s up.

  Training, Work Injured, Spain, Work

• A rushy roundy sort of day

  Posted on March 28th, 2009 John No comments

  First up … my foot’s feeling a lot better today. The pain has just about gone, so hopefully I’ll be able to do a bit of running while I’m out in Spain. One of my colleagues has been out there for a few days and has already told me there’s a beautiful park near the hotel which has a running track going round the outside of it. Makes me ask myself why there’s not one of those in east London … hopefully it’s be a legacy of the Olympics.

  Today mostly comprises me doing loads of washing, packing, making a big list of things to remember to pack tonight - it’s a bit of a packing pain having to take work, casual and gym stuff all at once). And then I’ve got an early start in the morning, flight’s at 11:50 so I’ll need to be gone from my house by 9 to drive up to Stansted (fortunately that’s not too far from me and at that time of the morning it should be quiet). Only thing I’m completely paranoid about tonight is the clocks going forward, so I’ll probably set 400 alarm clocks all over the place to make sure I get up at the right time and in the right timezone.

  Training, Work Spain

• Still in pain!

  Posted on March 27th, 2009 John 1 comment

  OK, I hoped an early night would have meant I’d have got up feeling better today.

  Well … it’s better, slightly. I can walk on it, and am fortunately working from home today so I don’t have to do a 15 minute walk to the tube station (as that seriously hurt last night). It’ll have to be another easy day today, even though I’ll be rushing round like a crazy thing to get ready for Spain.

  And thanks Ryan for telling me at least one person’s still reading! Is there anyone else out there, go on leave me a comment and let me know you’re care!

  Training Injured

• My left foot’s knackered

  Posted on March 26th, 2009 John 1 comment

  It’s not been a very good day - my left foot has been killing me all day … it actually feels like a minor break (having done it before I know exactly the sensation). But I don’t know why it’s happened - I was fine yesterday and probably did something stupid either on the way to work or in the night - it only takes a little turn to injure it.

  So obviously no training for me today, and I’m keeping my feet up tonight and weight off it. If it’s anything like other times I’ll be back on it in a couple of days, in time for my trip to Spain (assuming my employers ever get to authorising the flight).

  If I make it the hotel sounds lovely … it’s a 17th century Palace that’s been converted into a modern hotel. And according to someone else from our team who’s already there, it’s gorgeous. And 22 degrees Celsius at the moment.

  Training, Work Injured, Work

• A windy day

  Posted on March 25th, 2009 John No comments

  Well the weather held (just) even though it rained quite heavily a couple of times, so come 3 o’clock I managed to get out for a run outside.

  It’s a great circuit that I have when I’m in the City, which takes me from Southwark Bridge along the Embankment to Westminster Bridge. From there, the only bit I hate - that’s dodging the tourists who are too stupid and can’t be bothered to look where they’re going as I cross the Bridge, and then running back along the other side of the river, past the London Eye, Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge and back to where I started. It works out at about 6.3km according to my gadget watch (I’ll blog about the toys I have to run with in later posts).

  Today was probably one of the best runs I’ve done in a bit, nice pace, and no pain - in the end I covered the 6.3km in 49 minutes, which I think is pretty respectable. I walk and run in intervals, building up from 3 minutes, through 4, 5, 6 and finally 7 minutes. When I’m on my 7 minute run I’m getting back to where I started. So, as I can do this now comfortably it’ll be time to start on 4 minutes and work up to 8 instead.

  And then … a bolt out of the blue surprise at the end of the day. Now, I was due to go to Chesterfield next week for a management meeting, but my former boss gets hold of me just as I’m about to leave for the day and asks if I want to go to Spain with her next week to do a short project? Erm … let’s think about that. Chesterfield or Spain? So, with my new boss’ blessing I’m off to Spain on Sunday for a few days - I’ll have to take the running stuff with me so I can keep in training while I’m out there.

  Anyway, enough rambling today, and I have a plea. If you’re reading this, it’d be lovely to hear from you and get some comments or encouragement. It’s looking like quite a lonely blog with no comments added to anything!

  Training, Work Running, Work

• That’ll teach me

  Posted on March 25th, 2009 John No comments

  Well I’m in the office, with very sore triceps this morning. That’ll teach me to try things I don’t do very often.

  As long as the weather holds and as long as I can fit it in around endless meetings, I’ll be going out for a run later. If it rains it’ll be another trip to the gym later.

  A fun packed day awaits!

  Training Gym

• First time at the gym in ages …

  Posted on March 24th, 2009 John No comments

  … and boy does it feel like it now.

  I have a job where I don’t have to go to the office every day, as I can work from home (so if I’m on all day conference calls then it makes sense to stay at home and do them, like most of last week). So today was the first chance I’ve had to hit the gym in about two weeks, and I made the minor mistake of going down with a new training partner - much younger than me, much fitter than me, and he’s certainly put me through the ringer a bit.

  Plenty of work today on my arms (probably more than I’d do normally), and I’m definitely going to know about it in the morning. Couple that with a light treadmill session, some rowing, plenty of sit-ups and it’s been an interesting time.

  The weird thing about going to the gym after work is the way the gym manager seems to wake up at 5pm. Go down during the afternoon and it’s all you can do to get him to even acknowledge your presence. Tonight apparently I was “his friend”, and he was all jokey and smiles. Very strange when you’ve not seen that side of someone for a year.

  But enough rambling … My regular gym buddy (and running mate in the 10km in July) is back in the office tomorrow for five days, so at least I’ve got someone to go down with still - going to the gym by yourself is difficult day-in, day-out.

  At some point, I’m going to go on the scales, and pluck up the courage to post my weight on here. It’s not a nice number to post here unfortunately! But with a bit of luck it’ll come down again in the next few months.

  Training Gym, Weight